Lior Sepunaru

Lior Sepunaru is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), and a member of the Center of Polymers and Organic Solids. His research focuses on bioelectronics, single-entity electrochemistry, and nano-electrochemistry, with applications in enzyme catalysis, biosensor development, and liquid-liquid phase separation phenomena. He completed his postdoctoral studies at the University of Oxford and earned his Ph.D. from the Weizmann Institute of Science.

Education:

• Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science (2014)
• Marie Curie Research Fellowship, University of Oxford

Research interests include:

• Electrochemical analysis of biological droplets (coacervates) and their role in protocell-like systems
• Single-molecule electrocatalysis and nano-scale energy conversion mechanisms
• Biomolecule-mediated nanoparticle synthesis and characterization
• Electrochemical correlative microscopy for reaction dynamics

Publications highlight advancements in electrochemical sensing, catalysis, and bio-inspired materials. His lab employs cutting-edge techniques such as liquid-cell TEM and impedimetric spectroscopy to bridge macroscopic and single-entity electrochemical phenomena.

Advising and grants:

• Guides over 20 graduate students and postdocs in interdisciplinary projects
• Collaborates with groups in materials science, chemical engineering, and biomolecular science

Labs/Teams: Director of the Electrochemistry Lab at UCSB, specializing in bioelectrochemistry and nanoelectrochemical systems.